1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information processing devices and methods, and recording media and programs used therewith, and in particular, to an information processing device and method suitable for use in a device that handles text data and image data, and a recording medium and a program which are used with the device and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic books containing text data have come into widespread use. In an electronic book, information which is generally recorded in print in a paper book is recorded as text data information. The text data information is displayed by a predetermined terminal device for electronic books in a virtual form in which the information is in a two-page spread state in the case of a paper book. By using the electronic book, pressing a predetermined button slides and displays a one-page image, whereby the image is displayed in a virtual form in which the paper book is opened and each page is turned.
In a terminal device of the related art for electronic books, in order to display an easily readable image, electronic book text data is sequentially divided based on conditions defined in a preset file concerning division, and the divided data in each dividing unit is sequentially displayed on a display section in a range in which it can display a maximum number of characters at one time. An example of such a terminal device is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-197088.
The terminal device for electronic books is designed to have a size enabling a user to carry it. Accordingly, there is a limitation in the size of the display section of the terminal device for displaying the text data. The size is not always appropriate for all users. For example, when different terminal devices display identical characters in identical sizes in identical regions, ease of viewing the displayed characters differs depending on the users.
Accordingly, in order that text data may be easily viewed in a limited display region, an invention as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-197088 has been proposed. According to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-197088, electronic book text data is sequentially divided based on conditions defined in a preset file concerning division, and the divided data in each dividing unit is sequentially displayed on a display section in a range in which it can display a maximum number of characters at one time. The size of the characters is not always appropriate for users.
For example, users with good eyesight may easily read the characters in the given size, but users with poor eyesight may think that they can easily read the characters in a larger size. In other words, the above invention has a problem in that the characters cannot be displayed in character size matching a user's preference.
Also, display of a maximum number of characters which can be displayed in the display section is reasonably proper for the case of text data composed of only strings of characters. However, the display is not proper for the case of content (e.g., content in which paragraphs should be changed in units of scripts as in a scenario) of one (such as a newspaper or magazine) which includes a still image and which has a feature in its layout in the entirety of the content.
In other words, providing a user with also the layout itself of a still image and text allows the user to enjoy content composed of the still image and text. Also, the intention of the content creator can be respected and this is a preferable state. These problems cannot be solved by methods as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-197088, etc.